The Delivery Boy Killings
by Emmint
Summary: <html><head></head>Six poor delivery boys have been killed in whitechapel, the last survived long enough to give a description of a man who Jackson recognised from a wanted poster he once saw in the marshal's office in Dodge City. Now Inspector Reid and Detective Sergeant Benet Drake are on their way to Dodge City to enlist the help of Marshal Matt Dillon.</html>
1. Chapter 1

Charley Edwards a young butchers boy, had finished delivering the packages of meat that his boss Thomas Jones had sent him out with, he went back to the shop handed in the bike to Thomas and walked home. When he hadn't turned up the next morning Thomas was worried for out of all his workers Charley was the most reliable. Thomas walked into Leman Street Police Station that morning to report Charley as missing, he stood waiting as the desk sergeant issued the beats to various constables. "Right, sir, sorry to keep you waiting."

"I want to report a missing boy," Thomas said.

"What's the boy's name?"

"Charley Edwards, he's my delivery boy."

"Has he ever done this before?"

"No, Sergeant, Charley is the most reliable of my workers," Detective Benet Drake overheard all of this and approached the desk.

"Sergeant Artherton, I'll take care of this. Please come this way, Mr ..."

"Thomas Jones, I own the butcher's shop just down the street," Benet stuck his head in at Edmund Reid's office.

"Edmund, this is Mr Jones he's just reported his delivery boy missing," Edmund rose and came out.

"A boy's body was found this morning. What time was he supposed to be at work?"

"He was usually in for five in the morning unless his mother was taken ill. He's all she's got and some good neighbours."

"You'll need to formally identify the body," Edmund led the way to room Homer Jackson used as a morgue.

"Homer, the boy that was brought in?"

"Over here," Homer folded the sheet down from the head. "I should warn you it isn't a pretty sight," Thomas moved closer, he nodded.

"It's Charley, God knows what I will tell his mother."

"We will do all we can to find the ones who killed him," Thomas nodded.

"Thank you, Inspector Reid," Thomas shook them by the hand and left the station. He walked back to his shop, the workers looked up hopefully. "I have bad news, the police found Charley's body this morning, he was murdered. Edward, you're in charge for the rest of the day. I'm going to see Charley's mother, is Mrs Jones upstairs?"

"Yes, please tell Mrs Edwards how sorry we are, Guv," Thomas nodded and went upstairs.

"Did you find Charley, Thomas?" Thomas nodded dejectedly.

"Charley's dead, murdered."

"Dear God, his poor mother, we ought to go to see her," they left together taking a hackney carriage to Wormwood Street.

Back in the Leman Street Police Station, Homer Jackson was talking with Edmund Reid. "All these delivery boys that have been killed there has to be a connection somewhere," Edmund said.

"Well, the boy lived long enough to tell us something said that the man had an American accent and the descriiption fits a wanted poster I once saw in Dodge City, Kansas. The name on it was Ezekiel James," Homer said. "As I recall it Ezekiel James is rich enough to pay for passage to and from America."

"Yes, but wouldn't he be arrested if went back?"

"Not necessarily. He's only wanted in Dodge City and only for beating up a boy, that boy lived. Any warrant they have has to be actioned by the territorial Marshal. By the name of Matt Dillon, a good man, saved my live once."

"Benet, check all shipping see if they have an Ezekiel James on the manifest as a passenger or crew?"

"Right!" Benet left to go to the shipping offices, he tried the White Star Line first and struck lucky, the Teutonic had just sailed and Ezekiel James was listed as a passenger all of which he reported to Edmund.

"Well, there we have it he's gone back to America, I'm going to have to talk to Abberline about this do we get the Pinkertons to bring him back or go ourselves," Edmund said as he rose and left to go to White Hall Place. "Inspector Edmund Reid to see Chief Inspector Abberline," Edmund said at the desk.

"Inspector Reid, please come into my office," Edmund followed Abberline in and sat in a chair in front of Abberline's desk. "You have a lead on the murders of those five delivery boys?"

"Six, sir, there was another boy found this morning. He lived long enough to furnish a description. A man with an American accent around thirty years dark hair and mustache. Jackson recalled a wanted poster he saw in Dodge City, Kansas that exactly fitted the description under the name Ezekiel James, this man has now sailed on the Teutonic. Jackson said if we need to know more we should speak to Marshal Matt Dillon, in Dodge City. I needed to know if you would advice us getting the Pinkerton's involved or ..."

"No, we don't need them to be involved yet, we can get them involved when we find out more. Get a warrant issued from the Old Bailey and Extradition papers drawn up, take them with you, we'll see if this Marshal Dillon is as good as Jackson says. At best it will take you two months to at worst three to get there and back. Take your sergeant with you, I'll get someone to look after Leman Street temporarily until you return. Ask Dillon if he'd like to see him in prison for beating a boy or hung for murdering six." A fortnight later they were on the Teutonic as she made her second voyage to America.


	2. Chapter 2

Edmund Reid and Benet Drake stood on the Second Class Deck watching as RMS Teutonic sailed past Lady Liberty into New York Harbour, they were joined by a crewman. "Tugs are just coming alongside to guide us into our berth," the sailor moved off to assist with lowering the gangplank. Edmund and Benet walked down the gangplank and across to the immigration control officials were checking passports.

"Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, why are you visiting America?" Edmund introduce Benet to them, he explained about the recent killings in London and that an American was the prime suspect,

"We need to talk to him if he has an alibi we can go back and take another look at the evidence," they showed them the warrants issued by the Old Bailey and countersigned by the American Ambassador. The officials stamped the passports, and they left the building getting a carriage to Grand Central Station to take them to Washington.

On arrival in Washington Edmund and Benet went first to the British Legation, where they were issued enough money to cover them for travelling and accommodation and had the warrants countersigned again and then they headed over to the War Office to speak to the Marshal's Service, who issued a letter asking Marshal Dillon to lend them all the assistance necessary, another dash to the rail depot and they took the train to Dodge City with a change at St Louis. Four days later the train pulled into Dodge City they stepped down from the carriage. "Sir, can you tell me the way to the Marshal's Office," Edmund asked speaking to the station man.

"Yep, turn left when you get to the top of the rise and the Marshal's office is on the otherside of the street opposite the Long Branch Saloon."

"Thank you," Edmund and Benet walked up and turned left crossing to the Marshal's office they entered, Festus came in from the back.

"Can I hep you," Festus asked.

"We need to speak to Marshal Dillon," Edmund said.

"Matthew isn't here, he left fer Hays this morning taking a prisoner to be hung. He'll be back in four days," Doc Adams entered as Festus was talking. "Howdy, Doc, we'll have some coffee directly," Festus set about making coffee. "You men, like a dab o coffee then you can explain why you here?"

"Thank you," Edmund said thinking he'd rather have tea, but as Americans couldn't make tea to save their lives, he'd make do with coffee. Edmund handed the documents concerning Ezekiel James to Festus or he tried to.

"Sorry, I ain't got no reading. Doc Adams here's the one with the larning."

"We're from England, Metropolitan Police Force."

"That's the police for London, isn't it?" Doc asked.

"Yes, sir. Do you recall Captain Matthew Judge?"

"Why sure I do, a good man, good surgeon," Doc said.

"He had to leave America, he and his wife. He changed his name to Homer Jackson," Edmund told them about the delivery boys who had been murdered. "Homer told us that he recalled a wanted poster that Marshal Dillon had on a man called Ezekiel James, the description as he recalled it exactly fits with the description that the last victim was able to give us before he died."

"I remember, oh it's way before your time Festus. Ezekiel James, he's a mean one even when he's sober, meaner when he's drunk. The boy he beat here lost the sight in one eye, but he's lucky he lived. How many boys are you talking about in England?"

"Six, each one fourteen and the sole breadwinner for their widowed mothers."

"What would you do to him in England?" Festus asked.

"He'll be tried at the Old Bailey, that's the highest court in the land, and if found guilty hung by the neck until dead. The usual sentence for murder, we never found who Jack the Ripper was we'd have done the same to him."

"I think I heard of that even way out here," Doc said.

"Yes, five women all prostitutes all stabbed to death and their bodies mutilated. I still hope we'll find him one day, but you can never be sure about these things."

"Wall, Matthew will be back in four days, can you wait thet long?"

"Yes, if necessary we've been authorised to offer One Thousand Pounds Sterling that's around Two Thousand Dollars American as a reward for information leading to Ezekiel James's arrest."

"That's a sizable amount of money, enough to buy a small farm or business," Doc said. "Come along with me I'll take you to the Dodge House to get a room and then to the Long Branch and introduce you to Miss Kitty, she owns the saloon." Doc took them to the Dodge House where they booked two rooms then he led them into the Long Branch and over to Miss Kitty's table.

"Kitty, this is Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and Detective Sergeant Benet Drake of London's Metropolitan Police Force."

"Where in the States is that?" A drunken cowhand asked.

"It isn't in the states," Edmund said, "we're from London, England."

"Please sit down, gentlemen, Sam a round of beer over here. First round is always on the house," Sam brought over a tray of beer.

"What's a police force?"

"We investigate crime, the Law. We've got more men in Leman Street Police Station than the Marshal has in this whole territory."

"Is London a big city?"

"Depends on what you mean by big. The Metropolitan Borough of London is big. It's the Capitol of England, the same as Washington is for you Americans. But the Borough is actually made up of three cities, Southwark, Westminster and the city of London. The City of London is only one square mile, that's where most of the business is done. Westminster is where the House of Parliament is based and Southwark is where most of the theatres are plus The Clink and Marshalsea prisons are."

"You were telling us about this fella Jack the Ripper," Festus said.

"Oh, I remember reading about that, last year wasn't it," Edmund nodded, he explained about the ripper in it's barest essentials not wanting to offend the ladies in the telling of it.

"We both worked on the case. The man we're after has killed six boys, fourteen years old and the sole breadwinner with widowed mothers, and I'll be damned if we have another failure on my record. Well, we've been travelling for two weeks, nearly three now, so thanks for the beer but I think we'll go rest up now. We'll see you tomorrow, Miss Russell."

"Please, everybody calls me Kitty or Miss Kitty, Miss Russell makes me sound like a school teacher," Edmund smiled, both he and Benet rose and returned to the Dodge House.


	3. Chapter 3

It was the evening of the fourth day when US Marshal Matt Dillon rode up to his office, he dismounted tethering Buck, he entered the office. "Matthew, do you want a dab o coffee?"

"Thanks, Festus, anything happen while I was at Hays?"

"There's two English detectives from London, waiting to see you, they're staying at the Dodge House."

"Did they say why they want to see me?"

"Ezekiel James."

"Ezekiel James he's resurfaced then?"

"Doc, told us about him," Matt pulled the poster out of his desk.

"What did he do this time?"

"He done murdered six boys, in London. They said they would fill you in on the details when they see'd you."

"Where are they now?"

"Ol Doc, got thet Detective Inspector playing checkers only he calls it draughts," Festus said. "Right nah they're probably in the Long Branch. Them Texas drovers seem to enjoy listening to stories about the hunt for Jack the Ripper, who ever he wus, they don't even know fer sure."

"No one does, some figure he was a butcher, some an animal doctor and some a doctor. Leastways they figure he must know how the body is put together. Well, let's go see them, anyway, Kitty would never forgive me if I didn't go see her."

"Matthew, I know'd you thank the town don't know, but they do, they know'd you love Miss Kitty and that she loves you," Matt looked a little shell-shocked. "Why don't you ask her to marry you?"

"I have several times, but Kitty doesn't think the townsfolk will approve and then there's the danger that she could be used to get to me. I tried telling her I didn't care about that, but you know Kitty when she's got an idea in her head," Festus nodded.

"Yeah, as stubborn as ol Ruth," Festus said, they left the office and walked to the Long Branch.

"Howdy, Matt, this is Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and Detective Sergeant Benet Drake," both men smiled.

"I suppose Festus has told you why we're here?" Edmund said.

"Ezekiel James," Edmund nodded. "Festus told me about the boys in London and you know about the boy he nearly beat to death here," there was a question in the answer.

"Captain Matthew Judge," Matt eyes showed his recognition of the name. "Do you remember him."

"Yes, a good man, saved both me and Doc Adams a few years back."

"Whatever happened to him was since then but he had to change his name to Homer Jackson, he moved to England with this wife. He's our police surgeon at the Leman Street Police Station in Whitechapel."

"Isn't Whitechapel where Jack the Ripper ..."

"Yes, Benet and I we investigated those killings, we didn't catch him and I don't want another failure like that."

"How do you know it's Ezekiel James?"

"Homer, he said he saw a poster in your office and the description exactly tallied with the one his last victim gave us before he died," Matt put the poster on the table.

"This poster's the one you want," Edmund pulled out the documents he had he handed them to Matt, watching as Matt read the letter from the Marshal's Service. "Chief Inspector Abberline, my immediate superior said to ask you, if you wanted him imprisoned for beating the boy here or hung for killing six in London."

"First we have to catch him," Matt said, "and that isn't going to be easy. His spread is west of here, near a town called Friend. The men on the ranch are just as mean and vicious as he is, no one will swear out a complaint against them, which means I couldn't do anything about them. Ezekiel James if he's there with the previous warrant and now with your warrant, we can do something," Lon Gorman came in to the Long Branch with Joe Bascombe and Ching Lee.

"Marshal," Joes Bascombe said.

"Bascombe, Ching Lee with you?"

"Sure is, she's just getting set at the Dodge House. Hi, Doc."

"Joe, how is Ching Lee?"

"Just fine, but you'll see that for yourself. Matt I hear that you will be going after Ezekiel James?" Matt nodded.

"What's your interest in him?"

"The boy that was beaten in Dodge, he was my mother's second cousin."

"Well, hello, Ching Lee," Doc fetched a chair for her. "When's the baby due?"

"He is due in a few days," Ching Lee said.

"She is determined it will be a boy, but I'd rather have girl just like her," Bascombe said. "Tell me, Matt, what will happen to Ezekiel James when you catch him?"

"This is Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and Detective Sergeant Benet Drake from the London Metropolitan Police Force. I have orders to hand him over to them," Matt told Bascombe about the six boys in London.

"So prison here or hang in London. My vote is London, before he kills again."

"You want to join the posse, we'll be leaving at first light," Bascombe nodded.

"We'll pass by my spread on the way, I can get some of my men to join us."

"Good, we'll need all the men we can get," Matt signalled Sam to bring another round of beer. "Right, we'll make this the last round get an early night," they finished the beer and everybody left to rest up for the next day.


End file.
